Welder&#39;s helmet and shield



Dec. 1l, 1962 A. c. ToMPKlNs wELDER's HELMET AND SHIELD Filed May 2,1961 INVENToR. fr/ur C 7Z/77pK//2J BYZ Z United States Patent Oi-3,067,426 WELDERS HELMET AND SHIELD Arthur C. Tompkins, 11802 E. 59thSt., Kansas City 38, Mo. Filed May 2, 1961, Ser. No. 107,118 1 Claim.(Cl. 2 8) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in awelders combination helmet and shield, and relates particularly to acombination device of the character described comprising a helmet orother head engaging device wlth a face and eye shield attachedadjustably thereto for movement selectively to operative and inoperativepositions, and intermediate positions.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of adevice of the character described having means whereby the shield ispositioned frmy and accurately in any one of a plurality ofpredetermined positions required in normal usage, but which isnevertheless releaseable for movement from one position to another bymanual pressure exerted thereon.

Another object is the provision of a device of the character describedwherein the pre-determined positions of the shield may be adjusted tothe preference of the individual user.

. Still another object is the provision of a device of the characterdescribed having novel latch means whereby the shield may be quickly andeasily detached from and connected to the head-engaging portion. Thisprovision is particularly useful when the head-engaging portion is asafety helmet or hard hat, and safety regulations require said helmet tobe Worn whether the shield is in use or not.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency anddependability of operation, and adaptability for use withface-protecting safety devices other than welders helmets.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to thedrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a welders helmet and face shieldembodying the present invention, showing the shield in its primaryoperative position in solid lines, and in other positions in dottedlines,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line II--IIof FIG. 1, with parts left in elevation,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views takenrespectively on lines III-III and IV--IV of FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively onlines V-V and VI--VI of FIG. 4.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the numeral 2 applies generally to the helmet or headengaging portion of the device, while the numeral 4 applies generally tothe face mask or shield. The helmet may be formed of steel or otherrigid material to constitute the usual safety hard hat. It customarilyhas disposed therein adjustable head bands for comfort and to adjust tothe head size of the wearer, but these form no part of the presentinvention and are not here shown. If the mask is to be usedy in areasnot requiring the use of a safety helmet, the head-engaging portion maycomprise simply a head band device to serve as a mounting for the maskor shield. The mask or shield 4 is usually formed of fiber, plastic,sheet metal or other lightweight material, and comprises a cylindricallycurved front portion 6 in which is mounted a window frame 8 usuallycontaining darkly tinted safety glass, generally planar and parallelvertical side panels 10, and a generally spherically curved top panel 12joining the upper edges of said front and side panels.

Side panels of the shield extend rearwardly adjacent the respectivelyopposite sides of helmet 2, and each of 3,067,426 Patented Dec. 11, 1962icesaid side panels is pivotally connected to said helmet by meansincluding a pvot shaft 14, the shafts at the opposite sides of thehelmet being coaxially disposed on a horizontal axis transverse to saidhelmet. Each of said shafts extends rotatably through the associatedside panel 10 of the shield. Exteriorly of said side panel, said shaftextends through a countersunk washer 16 and a helical compression spring1S, and has a nut 20 threaded on its outer end. Spring 18 is compressedbetween said washer and s-aid nut. Interiorly of side panel 2, shaft 14passes successively through a circular clutch plate 22 which restsagainst the inner surface of side panel 10, and a second circular clutchplate 24 which overlies the inner surface of plate 22 and is coextensivetherewith. Shaft 14 is freely rotatable in and longitudinally movablewith respect to plate 22, but is welded or otherwise rigidly aixed toplate 24. Clutch plate 22 is provided with an integral, radiallyextending arm 26 lying against the inner surface of side panel 10, saidarm having a crossbar 28 at its outer end in which is formed an arcuateslot 30 concentric with the axis of clutch plate 22. A bolt 32 extendsthrough side panel 10 and slot 30, and has a nut 34 threaded on theinnner end thereof, so that when said bolt is tightened to clamp crossbar 28 against side panel 10, clutch plate 22 is secured againstrotation relative to the shield. Clutch plate 22 has a plurality ofradial ribs or offsets 36 formed thereon, said ribs being regularlyspaced angufarly of the plate, and clutch plate 24 has a matching set ofgrooves 38 formed therein and engaging ribs 36, being held yieldably inengagement therewith by spring 18. Said ribs and grooves are of roundedcross-sectional contour, as best shown in FIG. 5, in order that the twoclutch plates may be rotated relative to each other by applying sufcientrotational torque thereto to cause said ribs and grooves to cam saidclutch plates relatively apart against the pressure of spring 18. v

Aixed to each of shafts 14 in inwardly spaced` relation from theassociated clutch plate 24 is a short, rodlike stud 40. Said studs aredisposed at right angles to shafts 14 and parallel to each other,extending generally horizontally and rearward'y with respect to helmet2. Each stud is inserted rearwardly and slidably through the tubularbarrel portion 42 of a latch body member 44 whih is in turn affixed tothe adjacent side of helmet 2 as by rivets 46. Said stud extendsoutwardly from the rearward end of barrel 42, and has a notch 48 formedin the upper side of the extended portion thereof. Said notch is engagedby a pawl 50 pivoted in latch body 44 at 52, whereby to lock stud 40against withdrawal from barel 42. The pawl is provided with an operatinglever 54 whereby said pawl may be manually disengaged from notch 48, andwith a spring 56 whereby it is resiliently biased toward its engagingposition.

In use, the user may detach the mask or shield from the helmet bypressing the two operating levers 54 forwardly to release pawls 50 fromstud notches 48, whereupon the shield may be moved yforwardly towithdraw studs 40 from latch barrels 42. The mask may be reattachedsimply by inserting studs 40 in barrels 42, and pressing them rearwardlyuntil they are engaged by pawls 50. The shield would ordinarily beremoved in this manner only when the user plans to work for aconsiderable period of time without the mask, but where good safetypractice requires the continued use of the safety helmet 2. In commonusage, a Welder merely grasps the shield and pushes it up or down to thedesired position, torque on the mask causing ribs 36 of clutch plates 22to act as cams forcing clutch plates 24 inwardly against the pressure ofsprings 1S until the grooves of plates 24 are freed from the ribs ofplates 22 to allow the shield to pivot. Side panels 10 of the shield aresufficiently yieldable to spread. to the degree required for this'movement,` The shield will be secured releaseably in the next positionwhen the ribs of plates 22 are brought into registry with and areengaged by the next set of grooves of plates 24. Thus while the shieldmay be moved freely from one position to another as desired, it isnevertheless indexed accurately in any ofarseries ofy predeterminedpositions', and restrained against accidental movement.' This is adistinct advantage' over' previous structures within my knowledgewherein the shield is held in any position simply by frictionally loadedpivots. In such structures, the pivots'repeatedly work loose so as toallow uncontrolled movement of the shield, and there' is nothing toprovidethat the shield will be indexed accurately in predeterminedpositions.

In general practice, Welders desire these alternative positions of theshield 4, first the normal position of use shown in solid lines `in FIG.1, second a completely inoperative position allowing unrestricted visionas shown in'do'tted lines at 4f in FIG'` 1, and'third an intermediateposition as-shown in dotte-d lines at 4 in FIG. 1, in

which the wearer is permitted free vision of his owny normal fieldiofwork, but in which hiseyes are pro-k tected fromthe rays"-ofthe weldingflame or arc of other Welders who may be working nearby; The'presentstructure provi'des':.these three positions. However, it will be'readily 'apparent that a greater or smaller number of posi" tionscculdbe provided, as desired, simply by changingv the-angularspacingvbetween theribs and grooves 'of clutch plates 22 and 24'. y p

' It'f is'- also desirable that the various positions ofr the shield,particularly the so-lidline position shown in FIG.-

l', be adjustable to suit the individualrequirements andvpreferencesofeach individual user. Factors influencing thel properpositioning of the shield are the habitualv working position of theuser, whether he must wear specta'cles or not, whether the particularwelding job-is disposed' high or low with respect to the operatorsrposition, and others.' In the present structure this adjustment mayfbeaccomplished by loosening bolts 32, moving thev shield to the preciseposition desired without disengaging the clutch plates, and thentightening said bolts.

' -While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my`invention, it willbe readily apparent that' many minor changes ofstructure and operation could4 headengaging member whereby said shieldmay be piv-` oted relative to said head-engagingY member on a horizontaltransverse axis, said connecting means' including a' shaft extendinglthrough a' side panel of said shield for rotation and longitudinalmovement, resilient means urging said shaft outwardly'with respect tosaid side'panel,` a first clutch plate disposed against the inner faceofy said side paneland having a series of'regularly spaced radial ribslon the inner face thereof, said shaft'extending' centrally through saidclutch plate' and being rotatablev and longitudinally' movable therein,means` fixing-said1l first clutch plate to' said side panel, a'secondclutch plateaffixed on said vshaft inwardly'from said rst clutch' plate`and having a series of grooves formed in' the outer face thereofmatching withpthe ribs of said first` clutch plate,

and being urged'` against s'aid first clutch plate by said-f resilientmeans whereby said grooves engagesaid ribs, said" ribs and grooves beingof rounded cross-sectional counter whereby said clutch plates may berotated relatively by the appicationof considerable torque to one ofsaid' clutch plates, amd-like stud axed to' the' inner end" of said:haft and extend-ingrat right'anglesl thereto, alatch b'ody affixed tos'aid head-engaging member and having atubular barrel receiving saidstud slidably therein',l andE als'pring'lo'aded pawll carried movably bysaid latch" body' and engaging a notch formed therefor in said stud toprevent withdrawal'o'f said stud from said barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSEdwards et al. Mar.' 1', 1960 Edwards et al. Mar. 7, 19'61

